What do I need to cover in my reflections (RPPF)?
The First Reflection Session
This session should take place following the Stage 1 Deadline, once the supervisor has been approved.
Preparation As preparation for their first reflection session, students will submit the EE Topic Request form. Students should make sure they have done the following in selecting their topic.
1. Think about subjects and areas of particular personal interest and do some initial background reading into a subject and topic of their choice.
2. Using this as a starting point, explore a variety of possible research topics.
3. Read the subject-specific section of the Extended essay guide (found in the Extended Essay Folder on Google Drive) for the subject they are interested in, paying particular attention to the nature of the subject and the treatment of the topic.
4. Undertake further background reading and begin to gather information about their area of interest. This exploration should give rise to a variety of topics and questions that students can consider for further research. At this stage, it is important that students consider the availability of reliable and valid sources for the topic under consideration. All of this should be recorded in the Researcher’s reflection space.
5. Begin developing a research proposal which might include a MindMap® of ideas, an annotated article or a preliminary bibliography. Additionally, students must already be thinking in terms of the following questions.
o Is my topic appropriate for the subject I am considering?
o Why am I interested in this area and why is it important?
o What possible questions have emerged from my initial reading?
o Are there any ethical issues that I need to consider?
o What possible methods or approaches might be used for research in this area and why?
The First Reflection Session - Overview
This initial reflection session should be a dialogue between the student and the supervisor based on the student’s initial explorations. It is recommended that the student sends their supervisor an outline of their research proposal ahead of the meeting in order to give the supervisor the opportunity to review their work. This will ensure that the reflection session is focused and productive.
Topics of discussion that should arise during this session include:
• a review of the requirements and assessment criteria for the subject
• a review of ethical and legal implications, if applicable
• a dialogue about possible approaches and any potential problems that might arise
• a discussion of strategies for developing the student’s ideas for the essay and expanding the research so that the essay starts to take form
• probing and challenging questions that will help the student focus their thinking; this should lead to the development of the student’s working research question
• an outline of the next steps that the student should undertake in order to refine their question; this should take the form of a research and writing timeline. Following this first session, the student is required to complete the first student comment section of the Reflections on planning and progress form and submit it to their supervisor who must then sign and date the form.
The Interim Reflection Session
This session should take place either directly before or directly following the submission of the first draft of the essay. Between the first and second reflection session, students can engage in informal conversations with other people, such as subject teachers, the extended essay coordinator, the librarian or their supervisor. They must also ensure that they are progressing with their research plan.
Preparation In preparation for the interim reflection session, students should have:
• attempted to refine a focused and appropriate research question
• significantly deepened their research and recorded pertinent evidence, information or data in the Researcher’s reflection space
• reviewed and consolidated the methodologies they are using
• formulated arguments based on the evidence that they have collected
• added to the working bibliography for their research.
• written a significant portion of their Extended Essay
The Interim Reflection Session - Overview
This session is a continuation of the dialogue between supervisor and student in which the student must demonstrate the progress they have made in their research. They must also be able to discuss any challenges they have encountered, offer their own potential solutions and seek advice as necessary. During this session the supervisor might discuss:
• a completed piece of writing from the student (such as a full or partial first draft) in order to ensure that they understand the academic writing requirements, including referencing formats
• whether an appropriate range of sources has been accessed and how the student is critically evaluating the origin of those sources
• what the student now has to do in order to produce either the full draft of their essay, or what changes need to be made to complete the final draft, and ways and means of breaking down the task into manageable steps.
By the end of the interim reflection session both student and supervisor should feel satisfied that there is:
• a clear and refined research question
• a viable argument on which to base the essay
• a sufficient range of appropriate sources
• a clear vision for the final steps in the writing process.
Between the interim session and the completion of the extended essay, students should continue to see their supervisor as appropriate to their needs, although the third and final reflection session should not take place until after the extended essay has been completed and uploaded for submission.
The Viva Voce
The Viva Voce should take place only after the final draft of the essay has been submitted. It is important to note that students must not be allowed to make any changes to their extended essay after this meeting. Once they have submitted the essay as final to their supervisor, it is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that changes are not made.
Preparation Supervisors must have already read the final version of the essay, sent to them by the candidate, before this session takes place. Students should bring the following to this session:
• extracts from their RRS that illustrate how they have grown as learners through the process of reflection
• a willingness to share their personal experience and to discuss the skills and development of conceptual understandings that they have acquired through the completion of the extended essay.
The final reflection should summarise the journey of the extended essay and highlight areas of growth, success stories, challenges faced and how these were overcome.A summary of the viva voce discussion, if conducted well, should cover these and form the basis for the final reflection.
Supervisors do not need to include the entire viva voce in their final comments.